List two judge and rider, Sara-Jane Lanning, stole the show at the Southern Winter Regional Championships at Merrist Wood, Surrey (22-26 February 2014), winning every class she entered over the four days.
Riding her own 12-year old Danish gelding, Mi Amigo, the pair rode to victory in the Blue Chip Novice Open scoring 73.22% and acquiring their first NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships qualification of the week. Although duo has only been together since November 2013, they’re already experiencing great success with this being their eighth win in ten competitions.
However, it was the Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Open Freestyle where they really made their mark. Riding to music featured in films, Sara-Jane and Mi Amigo devoured the competition by over 4%, achieving the highest score of the week with a whopping 79.91%
“I was so thrilled with him!” exclaimed Sara-Jane. “We haven’t been together long and he hadn’t actually competed since he was a five year old. However, his basics are so correct thanks to his previous owner, Zoe Viner, it made it easy for me to get on, gel with him and start competing again straight away.”
“We hadn’t used this music before” continued Sara-Jane, “it was created and choreographed especially for the regionals, so we took a bit of a risk – but luckily it paid off and we had the best time!”
Putting Mi Amigo away for a well-deserved rest, Sara-Jane mounted her second ride of the week and partner of five years, 14-year old KWPN gelding Try Me Once. Co-owned with Andrew Griffin, the pair set their sights on crowd pleaser and final class of the weekend, the NAF Magic Prix St Georges Freestyle. Continuing her winning streak, Sara-Jane topped the leaderboard once more with an impressive score of 73.17%, securing her third and final championship qualification.
International rider, Matthew Hicks, also had reason to celebrate as he notched up two wins at the Southern winter regionals with his ride, Anne Keen’s nine year old gelding, Don Carissimo. Thrashing the competition, Matt stormed the Albion Medium Open with 76.80% - 4% above second place, Matthew Burnett and Caroline Bell’s seven year old mare, Nibeley Union Jack.
Never one to be content with just one ticket through to the winter championships, Matt and Don Carissimo conquered the Nupafeed Advanced Medium Freestyle with a whopping 74.22%, marking the end to yet another successful regionals campaign for the pair.
Another notable win was 17-year old Ellie Dempsey and her own 11-year old Dutch gelding, Wembley Z. Having only registered with BD in May last year and with Merrist Wood being the first regionals for the combination, it was a great accomplishment to score an impressive 74.38% in the Equitop Myoplast Elementary Open, let alone win the class! Huge congratulations to the pair – see you at Hartpury!
For full results, click here.
KBIS PRELIMINARY
Nicola Holehouse and Marmalade Monty, 72.24%
BLUE CHIP NOVICE RESTRICTED
Eleanor Smale and Hammerwood Rubinetta, 69.43%
BLUE CHIP NOVICE OPEN
Sara-Jane Lanning and Mi Amigo, 73.22%
EQUITOP MYOPLAST ELEMENTARY RESTRICTED
Ellena Dempsey and Wembley Z, 74.38%
EQUITOP MYOPLAST ELEMENTARY OPEN
Jacky Stolper and Charisma Chiquille, 71.82%
ALBION MEDIUM RESTRICTED
Lorraine Allan and Nouveau, 70.23%
ALBION MEDIUM OPEN
Matthew Hicks and Don Carissimo, 76.80%
CHARLES OWEN ADVANCED MEDIUM RESTRICTED
Charlie Sawyer and Zandiego, 69.17%
CHARLES OWEN ADVANCED MEDIUM OPEN
Fiona Bigwood and Cashmir, 73.64%
BAILEYS HORSE FEEDS NOVICE RESTRICTED MUSIC FREESTYLE
Melissa Smart and Simply Dinky, 72.50%
BAILEYS HORSE FEEDS NOVICE OPEN MUSIC FREESTYLE
Sara-Jane Lanning and Mi Amigo, 79.91%
GFS ELEMENTARY RESTRICTED MUSIC FREESTYLE
Sarha Harnett and Okey Dokey, 75.32%
GFS ELEMENTARY OPEN MUSIC FREESTYLE
Sharon Edwards and Roberto van de Leeuwerk, 73.21%
SPILLERS MEDIUM RESTRICTED MUSIC FREESTYLE
Stephanie Toogood and Florian Himself, 72.78%
SPILLERS MEDIUM OPEN MUSIC FREESTYLE
Debbie Poynter and Keystone For Real, 73.22%
NUPAFEED ADVANCED MEDIUM MUSIC FREESTYLE
Matthew Hicks and Don Carissimo, 74.22%
NAF MAGIC PRIX ST. GEORGES MUSIC FREESTYLE
Sara-Jane Lanning and Try Me Once, 73.17%